Study in Switzerland: A Guide for International Students

Switzerland is a small country located in the heart of continental Europe. It has a longstanding history of higher education excellence, dating back to 1460, when the oldest university in the country, the University of Basel, was founded.

Switzerland is an alpine paradise surrounded by Italy, Germany, France, Austria, and Liechtenstein. It's one of the safest countries in the world and a popular tourist destination, where you can travel through the mesmerizing scenery of the Swiss Alps, the Central Plateau, and the Jura mountains. Not to mention that the country has 1,500 lakes!

If you choose to study in Switzerland, you can visit picturesque landscapes, experience multiculturalism at its finest, and live in some of the internationally top-ranked cities for quality of life. In Switzerland, you can also enjoy an innovative technological environment and high educational standards, as the country continuously ranks among the World's Top 10 Study Abroad Destinations.

International students in Switzerland

The number of international students choosing to study in Switzerland grows year by year. This is unsurprising, as Switzerland is a developed country that ranks first in attracting skilled international workers to cities like Basel, Zürich, and Geneva. The most sought-after programs in Switzerland include degrees in tourism and hotel management, finance, international business and law, and computer science.

Switzerland is the home country of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the second largest office of the United Nations (UN), and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). It's also a founding member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) but notably not a member of the European Union, the Eurozone, or the European Economic Area (EEA).

Curious to learn more about the country of chocolate, punctuality, and luxury watches? Read through our study in Switzerland guide to learn more about education, tuition fees, scholarships, and the Swiss culture.

Switzerland - Quick facts & figures

More about studying in Switzerland

Why study abroad in Switzerland? Simply put, it’s an amazing choice for international students. Swiss universities invest heavily in excellence, research, and science, offering a broad spectrum of academic degrees. Switzerland is a federal republic of 26 cantons, and each canton is responsible for its educational matters and regulations.

Despite being a small country of just 8 million inhabitants, Switzerland has an impressive presence in international university rankings. The country has 12 universities (10 cantonal and 2 federal institutes of technology), and many of them rank among the top universities in the world, such as ETH Zurich, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), University of Geneva, or University of St. Gallen.

Swiss universities' research-focused character enables them to attract international students and teaching staff. The country shares borders with five countries and has four official languages, facilitating student mobility.

Switzerland's strong ties with education and science are reflected in its history with the Nobel Prize. In 1901, Jean Henri Dunant, the Swiss founder of the Red Cross, shared the first Nobel Peace Prize with the French pacifist Frédéric Passy. Since then, at least 27 more Swiss academics have won the prize in nearly every field.

Don't forget that living in Switzerland will expose you to a linguistically rich environment and allow you to practice (or learn) one of the four official languages: French, Italian, German, or even Romansch.

Many degrees are offered in English, especially at a Master's and Doctorate level. However, you should probably learn the fundamentals of French, Italian, and/or German before so you can easily navigate and blend into Swiss society.

Still in doubt about how studying abroad in Switzerland will strengthen your CV and offer you an unforgettable study experience? Check out the Top 10 Reasons to Study Abroad in Switzerland!